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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22770502">The Dinner Party from Hell</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hackney123/pseuds/Hackney123'>Hackney123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:27:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,532</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22770502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hackney123/pseuds/Hackney123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Ainsley decide to have a dinner party for their respective parents and the senior staff in order to go semi-public that they are dating. This required a ten seater dinner table to be hired for the occasion.  What could possibly go wrong.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ainsley Hayes/Sam Seaborn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Invitations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N - I am not sure if the secret service procedures mentioned are correct. Donna gets a secret service detail for the evening I am not sure that would normally be the case.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the Tuesday Sam went into Josh’s office were both Josh and Donna are having lunch together.</p>
<p>‘Josh do not forget to eat your vegetables remember what the Doctor said you need to lower your blood pressure.’<br/>
‘Sorry to interrupt but are you two free on Friday night?<br/>
‘Why what is happening on Friday?’ Donna asked<br/>
‘I am having a small dinner party and wanted to know if you two want to come.’<br/>
‘Who else will be there?’<br/>
‘I am just about to check with CJ and Toby plus my parents and Ainsley’s parents and Ainsley.’<br/>
‘So long as Congress behaves itself and no wars breakout, we will be there what time is it?’<br/>
‘7pm dinner will be at 7.30pm’</p>
<p>Sam leaves before he could be asked anymore questions. Both CJ and Toby accepted their invitations to the dinner party. Speculation as to why the parents had been invited was rife between the senior staffers.  When President Bartlet heard about the party he called Sam to see him.<br/>
‘You wanted to see me Mr President?’<br/>
‘Yes, Sam I hear you are having a dinner party tomorrow and I do not appear to have been invited.’<br/>
‘Mr President I apologise for not inviting you but as there would be three other Secret Service Details apart from mine the neighbours might complain about all the extra cars. Also, if you were to come the whole street would have to be closed as well. Plus, if you were to attend there will be press speculation, so I thought it best if I did not invite you it was not meant as a slur in any event you have the Swedish Ambassador coming tomorrow.’<br/>
‘Well Abbey has ordered me to invite you and Ainsley to dinner in the residence on Tuesday.’<br/>
‘Thank you Mr President I will tell Ainsley what time would we be expected.’<br/>
‘7pm in the Yellow Sitting Room.’</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Dinner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The dinner did not go entirely as planned</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Josh and Donna were the first to arrive as Donna was in charge of the arrangements, they were there at 7pm on the dot.  Josh was in a new double breasted suit which he had changed into in his office.  Donna was in a turquoise backless dinner dress with spaghetti straps and a shawl around her neck. Josh’s security detail nodded to Sam’s security detail and Josh and Donna went inside to greet their hosts. Ainsley was in a full length black dress which managed to cover everything while accentuating her figure.  CJ, Toby and their respective security details arrived at the same time.</p><p>Ainsley’s parents were the first to arrive. When they arrived at the front gate the Secret Service agent searched them and retrieved three guns as they had concealed carry permits from their home state, they were told they would be given them back when they left.  Ainsley’s father was wearing full evening dress. Her mother was in a midnight blue full length evening dress. Ainsley greeted her parents with a kiss.</p><p>Last to arrive was Sam’s estranged parents. It had been made clear that his father could not bring his mistress.  Sam’s father like Toby was in a casual suit. His mother was in a burnt orange calf length evening dress.  As with Ainsley’s parents they were searched, and two more guns were retrieved. </p><p>Once everyone had arrived and been given a drink for some it was not their first of the night they started to circulate and make small talk.  At 7.30 on the dot they were called into the dinning room. Table cards had been placed by each seat behind the seats for the senior White House staff was a Secret Service agent the two fathers were on either side of Sam who was at one end of the table facing Ainsley. Next to the fathers were the respective mothers. Josh was seated in between Ainsley’s mother and CJ. Donna was seated in between Sam’s mother and Toby. There was also an agent behind Donna’s seat. As soon as everyone was seated Sam’s father said.</p><p>‘Do the aides have to be in the room as well this is not a business dinner.’<br/>
‘Dad they are not aides they are Secret Service agents one from each security detail and they have to remain in case of trouble.’<br/>
‘Then why is there not an agent behind my daughter?’<br/>
‘Mr Hayes as I explained when you were up a couple of months ago as your daughter is not senior staff she is not considered in need of protection. The only reason Donna has protection is because the rumours about her relationship with her boss means that she is considered at risk.’</p><p>Sam’s mother indicating Josh asked Donna</p><p>‘How long have you two been married?’<br/>
‘We are not married I am his Senior Assistant. I have known him and Sam since the campaign.’<br/>
‘The way you were bickering I assumed that you were married. I am surprised that you can talk to your boss like that without being sacked.’<br/>
‘Nobody else would put up with hm or understands his filing system.’</p><p>After the dinner Sam stood up and clearing his throat said.<br/>
‘This is not going to come as a surprise to most of you, but Ainsley and I have been quietly dating for the last five months. We have decided that it is time to tell our family and friends. CJ, I do not want anything about this in the press.’</p><p>As he sat down his father said.<br/>
‘We will need to talk about a pre-nuptial to protect the family trust.’<br/>
‘It is us that will need the pre-nuptial agreement to protect our family trusts from your money grubbing son.’<br/>
‘Look who is talking your daughter is probably going to trick him into getting her pregnant to force him to marry her to get our money.’</p><p>Sam’s principal agent did not like how this was heading so whispered into his wrist mike. An additional agent came in and stood behind Ainsley.</p><p>‘It is your gigolo son who is after our money.’</p><p>Everybody was now looking at the two fathers who were trading insults at each other then the mothers got in on the act defending their husbands. When Mrs Seaborn through the drink in her glass into Mrs Hayes’ face the Secret Service agents acted as one and their protectees were physically dragged out of the room into the kitchen which had been designated as the safe area. Other agents swarmed into the dining room and arrested the four parents.</p><p>CJ was trying to work out how to avoid this being blown out of all proportion by the press. Ainsley was in tears she had hoped that the two families could get on. Donna was distraught as she had lost her new shoes having taken them off so that she could play footsie with Josh. The men were looking confused and did not know what to do.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Repercussions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The press react to the fallout from the party</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On Monday CJ entered the press room for the morning briefing and wondered how long it would take for somebody to mention Friday evening’s debacle. Answer one minute. </p><p>In answer to shouts of her name she called on Steve who was one of the regular members of the press corps.<br/>
‘CJ a source at the District Court tells me that a Mr and Mrs Seaborn and a Mr and Mrs Hayes have all been arraigned this morning on charges of causing a nuisance. Does the White House have any comments.’<br/>
‘Steve The White House does not comment on ongoing criminal matters before the courts and will not be commenting on this matter as it appears to be a private matter.’<br/>
‘Follow up as the arresting officers were Secret Service agents surely the White House must know something and if so, they should come clean.’<br/>
‘As I said we do not comment on ongoing criminal matters before the courts. Katie.’<br/>
‘I note that the two couples appear to be the parents of the Deputy Director of Communications and Associate White House Counsel. I also understand that there was a dinner party at Sam Seaborn’s house on Friday which just happens to be the date of the incident in the nuisance complaint.  Is there any connection and why were the parents in Washington.’<br/>
‘Due to an ongoing criminal matter I am unable to comment. Danny.’<br/>
‘I am hearing rumours that Sam and Ainsley have come clean about them dating can you confirm this.’<br/>
‘Danny as you know the White House does not comment on the personal lives of members of staff.  Now can we please get on with this morning’s briefing?’</p><p>At the Senior Staff meeting that morning the President decided to have some fun.<br/>
‘I hear that while I was being entertained by the Swedish Ambassador on Friday evening you all had something a lot more entertaining to watch.’<br/>
‘Sir, I can assure you it was not entertaining. Ainsley was in tears all weekend over her parents being kept in custody over the weekend.’<br/>
‘It does not help that I got questions on it at the morning briefing. We are going to have to say something about it.<br/>
‘Keep with the line you were using this morning they will get bored eventually.’ Leo said.</p>
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